Using Your Financial Aid for Books and Supplies

Starting 10 days before classes start, you can use your remaining financial aid to charge eligible book and supply purchases at the Central Piedmont Campus Store to your student account.

Buy your books at the Campus Store

Visit the Central Piedmont Campus Store's website to buy the books and supplies you'll need for your classes.

How to Use Financial Aid at the Bookstore

Remaining aid is the amount of financial aid, scholarships, and grants you have left after you are charged for tuition, fees, and supplies for the semester. Bookstore charges you make using your remaining aid will be deducted from your financial aid.

You have to apply and be awarded federal student aid first. Start by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the online financial aid authorization form on your MyCollege account. Your tuition/fees, supplies, and/or bookstore charges will be subtracted from the amount you receive as a financial aid refund.

Continue reading for details on when and how to use your financial aid to purchase supplies at the Central Piedmont Campus Store.

Using Financial Aid at the Campus Store

  • You must have been awarded financial aid to attend Central Piedmont.
  • You may not use funds from a federal work-study award.
  • Additional financial aid funds must be available after your financial aid has been applied to tuition. The amount of money (grants, scholarships, and loans) you have been awarded must exceed your total tuition, fee, books, and supplies charges.
  • Your financial aid funds must not be restricted to tuition and fees. (The majority of Central Piedmont scholarships pay only tuition and fees — not supplies and books.)
  • You cannot use financial aid that you have been awarded to attend another college.

Once financial aid refunds are issued, you must wait until the next semester to use your financial aid for bookstore purchases again.

You are responsible for paying any charges you make that are not covered by your remaining financial aid. Purchasing an excess of eligible expenses that are not required for your classes is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. If you register for courses, purchase books, and then drop a course, you may owe the college. Please return all books for classes that you drop. By charging your books and supplies onto your account, you agree to adhere to the policies and procedures of the Central Piedmont Financial Aid Office and of the Central Piedmont Campus Store. These policies include, but are not limited to, refunds, returns, and exchanges.

Eligible Expenses

  • Bus passes
  • Backpacks (up to $100, including tax)
  • Flash drives ($45, including tax)
  • Convenience items, such as clothing, food/drinks, and toiletries/personal hygiene (up to $100, including tax)

If your textbook is not available or is out of stock, pre-order and pay for it using financial aid.

Chromebooks

You can use your remaining financial aid to buy a Chromebook 11 3181 (UPC 816729024704) from the Central Piedmont Campus Store.

  • Visit the Central Piedmont Campus Store to shop for the eligible model and to review its specifications.
  • You can make one Chromebook purchase every two years when buying in advance using your financial aid.
  • Allow six to eight business days for delivery to Central Campus, or up to 10 business days to other campuses.

Not Eligible

  • Electronics (radios/cellular supplies/cameras)
  • Computers (laptops/software/accessories/peripherals) other than Chromebooks (refer to the Chromebooks section in the "Eligible Expenses" section)

When to Buy Books Using Your Aid

You can charge books at the Central Piedmont Campus Store no earlier than 10 days before each semester starts. You can charge books until the seventh business day of the semester. If you choose to opt out of charging your books before courses begin, you must wait for remaining financial aid funds, after tuition and fees are paid, to be released to your selected refund preference with BankMobile Disbursements before you can purchase books using financial aid. You may pay out-of-pocket for your books at any time.

Check dates you can use your financial aid to buy books and supplies. Your remaining financial aid balance (after tuition and fees) will be available in the bookstore.

Where to Buy

During the dates you can use your financial aid to buy books and supplies, go to a campus bookstore or shop online. Bring your student ID and a copy of your course schedule. Ask to charge the supplies to your financial aid when checking out.

How to Order Textbooks on the Bookstore Website

Visit our bookstore information page for steps to order textbooks on the Central Piedmont Campus Store website using your financial aid.

Bookstore Information

Visit our bookstore information page to learn more about using your financial aid (or dual enrollment, middle college, Veterans Affairs Education Benefits, or sponsorship) to buy supplies at the bookstore, bookstore hours, and about other bookstore services, such as renting textbooks, price matching, and book buyback.